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“Have my parents already left?” I question.

“Yes, they have already left. Although I will advise you to begin preparations for your following courses since they will begin soon after their return.”

“How long will they be away?"

“They will each travel for about a month, but your father may return sooner than expected.”

“Very well then, let us go.” I order and so we leave my room and walk within the halls of my home.

Right now, just as all I have known or rather just as all I will ever know, the hall stretches before me grand rather long at least for me they appear much larger than what is actually needed. Father however always states one thing. Like all things he states, he seems more like a broken record that occasionally changes tune but always returns to the same words. These walls are not large enough and neither are they vast enough. At least not to the people who would in all honesty or rather could choose to recklessly place themselves above us. Actually, they would rather be above all since they have claimed to be the only ones truly worthy of the riches the lands have to offer and claim themselves owners to all that lay alive for now at least to all those that rest in their grasps. Although to there credit I to wonder if they are but mere defects this world simply failed to notice and correct their being brought into existence for unlike the rest of us who are but apparently weak, we use stones to control the power that flows the earth. A power that in all honesty we do not understand but rather choose to harness without question of what may occur later on. I too however and rather regretfully choose to worry or in truth forget to bring concern on that matter. The royalty from those people that lay below these mountains are the creature that although quite apparently human who speak like any of us use their powers without a stone. A stone that although is lasting, when of high quality like all becomes one that simply ends a mere rock. It is these such stones the once we collect and take from the mountains we own, from the land we inhabit.

There is only one reason an agreement was forged between their people and ours surprisingly to me it is astonishing how true they are to what they believe. To be honest it is said that at the time our powers matched theirs though they only had the numbers, and a few select who were like their kind I suppose they were really desperate because unlike now none of their royalty would dare to venture beyond that which is fit for their eyes truthfully, I even doubt they can even wield anything as a weapon. Though as grand as they believe themselves to be they would rather kill the ones that betray them than to allow others like them. Honestly the only good thing about them is the manner in which they remain loyal to each of their partners. Most of the other lands within and around them tend not to. However, that was not the reason they decided to forge that agreement to them it was their prophesy of our lands one day willingly bowing in my opinion I believe it was more like serving one of their rightful heirs. However, at the rate we are going I do not believe any of us will actually bow to any of them because they are as arrogant as they are cruel.

Passing the occasional widows as we head to the garden within which we occasional have breakfast, I realize that the window that always seemed to lay open is now closed.

“Valix, why is it closed today?” I question as I look directly at the widow.

“Your parents were concerned with our safety and so they decided to take precautions most of the preparations were made right before they left.”

“I see then afterwards report to me what exactly those preparations were.”

“Of course.”

“I’ll eat inside, instead then.”

“Yes.” Valix responds as he begins to direct some of the other to assist.

“I’ll take a walk by the forest edge before I eat.”

“Yes.” Valix quickly indicates for the guards to fallow us. 

I often now forget how many people follow me around this grand place I call home. When I was just learning my way around, I often made the mistake of directing myself to them. Valix has always tried to guide since then although now his role has changed to one of serving than that of guide. Mother has always spoken her mind about interacting with others that is to those that are within the “circle that maintain us in power” apparently it is quite troublesome when others are suddenly thrown into such an environment. I have always found it fascinating how there are those that would rather be thrown into such an environment and chose to relinquish all that they are for a glimpse of it. Most of them do succeed but they all quickly fall not because they are inferior but rather because they place no rules they are unwilling to cross in the search for their treasures. They often forget that the life that follows them is more important than the life they wish to forge ahead. At least that is what father says although he also says that it is often either their lineage or their life the ones that are short. What I find most terrifying is the manner in which his eyes turn as he simply states that all who place not their rules and all who can not keep them often fall into a trap. Now that I think about I feal it is more of a curse for all the stories end tragically. Tragic, I truly wonder if those words even go along with it though. Anyway, now that I am headed to the forests edge, I realize that the only reason we have never needed to change was because in all honesty no one has ever forced any of us to change. It has not been because we are true and honest people it has mainly been because we have not been around most of the people who are that. I believe that we are not like the rest. We the people who live within these mountains maintain a morality that is above all, true to us not for anyone else but for ourselves. That is the reason we are strong and the only reason we deserve all we have. Unlike those who change to fit the world, we are true. Although people around me always seem to doubt that. We are not like most who would have, hurt, hunt what lay before them. So why was it that in their eyes to most or rather to everyone who is around me always lay a sliver of doubt within. As soon as we reach the path that leads to the forests edge all manner of thought leaves as I walk towards . to it upon this path laid in stone before me.

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 Now that I stand before the forest I cannot help but look. As my eyes look up, what captures my attention is then manner in which no matter how far you actually manage to see the trees only become larger the farther you see. It intrigues me how very quiet it seems. Soon however it will be late, so I begin to walk by its edge. Never once daring to step inside. For some reason a thought seemingly out of nowhere appear in my head “wouldn’t you like to venture inside it and also I would not do that if I were you, walking within its shadow” to some degree I am astounded at the fact that such thoughts even appear. Because the only thing that everyone truly knows is this. No one dares to venture beyond not because the monsters within are dangerous, although if you ask me that should really be the reason they should fear it. Of course, the actual reason is that although the forest may not appear it so its more still living creatures are the ones that most actually fear. Sometimes within the halls I hear that if you venture too deep in the forest, the forest itself eats you alive and offers you to it monsters. I think that is just a way to scare most of the people from actually venturing into the forest. Only because when they try to find lost people, they often offer things to it before they enter. Although Valix did once tell me that story.

“Valix tell me a story about them, the forest.” I state as I decide to head back inside.

“People venture thru and around this very forest. Most people are wise enough to understand the dangers within this forest. Some however are foolish to believe that they are capable of defending themselves from anything within it. Very rarely are there those that can venture thru.”

“Wait but you said that none must enter that forest.” I state in surprise for he has always stated that the forest allowed no one entry.

“Yes, well that is true now. But when your grandfather was much younger there was a time that one group travelled regularly thru. It was said that the only reason they were permitted was because they knew the offerings the forest wanted. No one knows for sure because one day they simply were never heard from again. It was said that their last venture thru they did not make the proper offering and so the forest in its anger ate them all. Although some actually believe that there was a single person blessed among them, it was said that when he died there was no one who was worthy and so soon after the forest ate the rest of them. That is actually the sole reason for the attempts at invasion over your father’s time as a child. Many believe that the tale they heard were lies and so in an attempt to prove us liars I suppose they were willing to anger the living within it. For the very first-time monsters arose from it mind you it was the first time we know of. The creatures’ anger was said to have arisen because humans who had attempted to claim the forest played with their dying young. It was said that cries cloud be heard by its edge for weeks. At last, when those humans had return home to show their spoils, they failed to realize what they had killed had not been the monsters we dare not mess with. In anger of their destruction your grandfather ordered all carrying spoils from the forest to seek shelter elsewhere and that all who had entered to leave immediately. It was said that all within our borders at the time did everything possible to keep them out of our land. To all of us they were cursed, and this curse would demand the blood of all that dare to get in its path. At the time the king of the lands below began to prepare for war the few lands that were protected by forest at the edge were to be his target. He actually in fact welcomed any who brought spoils from the forest. Your grandfather was wise and began to prepare offerings for the forest. At the time the only stones worth offering where those in your grandmother’s possession, it was she who offered three of the highest quality stones we have ever found to the forest. In exchange for not tearing apart the people and our lands we offered stones that would never reach other hands and allowed the monsters to venture within our lands to seek the people who dared to toy with what was their own. It was said that the only reason the offer was accepted was because they also allowed for the monsters to release their anger on the ones who had wronged them. Beyond that non were allowed entry into the forest and just when the king from below order his attack it was a funny thing to realize that he did indeed need the preparations of war but for once too he had pointed his army in a somewhat right direction, in our direction. It is this war with the forest the one that extended the forest’s reach and permitted us to get better terms for ourselves. It is for this reason that we are allowed to be who we are, because from that point on we were the ones who decided who would be permitted entrance into our lands. It is also what crippled them all the way down to their core. The prophesies at the time assured them we would serve one in their lineage. Resulting in a sort of agreement that permitted us to keep what was ours. A warning however has been ringing ever since that day what exactly would we become if they felt so assured of what was to occur. After giving the forest a separate offering, the expansion of the forest had become much greater than anticipated. Now in all truth we knew the forest was alive and kept within grasp by its keeper now too we knew all that was needed to bring forth its wrath were but merely foolish humans who dared greed for that not their own.” Valix states as he ends his story.

“Interesting, I wonder what else lay dormant in your head, Valix.” I state as I head inside.